Method and apparatus for handling inserts for printed materials

Abstract

An apparatus for handling inserts for printed materials has been developed. The apparatus includes a printed material conveyor that includes a support post and a gripper. The conveyor receives and supports the printed material from below. After an insert has been placed inside the printed material, it is delivered to a stacker and jackets with insert errors are automatically returned to the conveyor.

1. A method for adding inserts to printed material, comprising:
 receiving a jacket that is closed in a jacket conveyor, where the jacket conveyor comprises,
 a gripper conveyor with a gripper; 
 a left post conveyor with a plurality of support posts, 
 a right post conveyor with a plurality of support posts, and 
 where the gripper conveyor, left post conveyor, and right post conveyor come together with each other to form the jacket conveyor at the beginning of a jacket conveyor line and where the jacket conveyor separates at the end of the jacket conveyor line by laterally rotating the left post conveyor and the right post conveyor on separate tracks in opposite directions away from each other to return to the beginning of the jacket conveyor line to reform the jacket conveyor; 
 
 receiving an insert into the jacket from an insert feeder; 
 closing the support posts against the jacket and then opening up the jacket with a plurality suction cups; 
 delivering the jacket and insert to a product receiver; and 
 returning a jacket with an insert error to the jacket conveyor for correction of the insert error. 
 
   
   
     2. The method of  claim 1 , where the gripper conveyor delivers the jacket and insert to the product receiver. 
   
   
     3. The method of  claim 2 , where the gripper conveyor holds the jacket from below while delivering the jacket and insert. 
   
   
     4. The method of  claim 1 , where the product receiver is a jacket stacker. 
   
   
     5. The method of  claim 1 , where the gripper conveyor returns the jacket with an insert error to the jacket conveyor. 
   
   
     6. The method of  claim 1 , where the jacket comprises a newspaper. 
   
   
     7. An apparatus for adding inserts to printed material, comprising:
 a jacket feeder; 
 a jacket conveyor that receives jackets that are closed from the jacket feeder, comprising,
 a gripper conveyor with a plurality of grippers, where the grippers support the jackets from the bottom, 
 a left post support conveyor with a plurality of post supports, 
 a right post support conveyor with a plurality of post supports, and 
 where the gripper conveyor, left post support conveyor, and right post support conveyor form the jacket conveyor at the beginning of a jacket conveyor line and separate at the end of the jacket conveyor line along separate tracks that laterally rotate the left post conveyor and the right post conveyor in opposite directions away from each other and return to the beginning of the jacket conveyor line to reform the jacket conveyor; and 
 a plurality suction cups that open and close the jackets against the post supports; 
 an insert feeder that feeds inserts into the jackets that are held open with suction cups; and 
 a product receiver that receives jackets with inserts from the jacket conveyor. 
 
 
   
   
     8. The apparatus of  claim 7 , where the gripper conveyor delivers the jackets with inserts to the product receiver. 
   
   
     9. The apparatus of  claim 7 , where the gripper conveyor returns a jacket with an error to the jacket conveyor. 
   
   
     10. The apparatus of  claim 7 , where the jackets are newspapers.